Maze by Gordon Ramsay Setting up for Summer Restaurant Week!

One of my favorite restaurants is Maze by Gordon Ramsay in Manhattan. I take my mom to The London Bar every year for mother's day for their amazing traditional British afternoon tea. I have also had the pleasure of having a delicious 3 course dinner at Maze, as well as sampled their brunch menu. So it is safe to say, I LOVE this restaurant. 

That said, I am sure, dear reader, you would understand my sheer excitement when I received an email about Maze by Gordon Ramsay participating in  New York City’s Summer Restaurant Week! I WILL be there and you all should too...

In case you have never heard of Restaurant Week, it's an annual event for every food lover, which will take place this year on July 12th through the 25th. The event usually features various restaurants in New York City celebrating food with discounted menus and other events of their own. Maze’s Executive Chef Markus Glocker (right) and Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki have designed a special tasting menu for the three-course pre-fixe lunches and dinners during the week. Look at this menu! I already know what I'm having...

Course 1

• Octopus terrine w Kalamata olives, crisp potatoes, pickled shallot & sauce vierge
• Asparagus veloute w braised morels & elephant garlic
• Marinate fingerling potatoes w Holland leeks, poached quail’s egg & prosciutto

Course 2

• Carnaroli risotto of parsley w preserved lemon & marscapone
• Roasted chicken breast w spring morels, pickled ramps, new potatoes, fiddlehead ferns & thyme jus
• Pan fried halibut w butternut squash, gnocchi & brown butter vinaigrette
• Dry aged strip loin 8 oz. w creamed spinach & pommes anna ($10 supplement)

Course 3

• Carrot cake w cream cheese frosting & walnut praline ice cream
• Vanilla custard w citrus fruits, brown sugar oats & mandarin sorbet
• Chocolate pudding w stout ice cream, pretzel & peanut butter powder

Side dish selections ($5 supplement) include:

• Pomme puree
• Oven roasted cippolini onions w thyme & honey
• Steamed green asparagus w toasted almonds

The three-course lunch/$24.07 and three-course dinner/$35.00.  Reservations are highly recommended (if not, required) and can be made starting June 28 by calling (212) 468-8889.

MAZE, by Gordon Ramsay, offers a less formal and lively surrounding in which to enjoy the sophisticated cuisine of this accomplished culinary team. This stylish gathering spot, for lunch or dinner, has redefined the dining experience with dishes that are elegant and innovative, yet attainable.  Modeled after his popular Michelin-starred London restaurant of the same name, MAZE offers a seasonal menu served among exquisite interiors designed by the renowned David Collins.  Showcasing the best of modern British style coupled with Manhattan’s vivacity, MAZE personifies culinary perfection without pretension.

Lunch hours are daily 12:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. and dinner hours daily 5:30p.m. – 10:30p.m. You can also visit them online at http://www.thelondonnyc.com/gordon_ramsay.  The London NYC is located on W. 54th between 6th & 7th Aves.  

Living... and Learning

I have a new motto: Failure means you're learning.

I have been in process with a specific potential location over the last few weeks. I was asked to keep it confidential for various reasons and some things I still can't disclose. Nevertheless, this morning, I learned that someone else beat me to the punch.

So back to the real estate drawing board. I have to say and I am bummed. It was a corner space in the middle of a small town with about four churches within one mile of the place. Seriously, perfect for breakfast, lunch, and the average fresh croissant and cappuccino. BUT! I can't be discouraged; it just didn't work out and wasn't meant to be.

Lesson learned: Don't put your eggs in one basket.

While situations were progressing I decided to back myself up. I started the blog, accepted a catering event, and considered alternatives if things didn't go through. What would I do? Fortunately, I thought about it and will be calling my realtor after getting back from France. Giving up is not an option for me and this process will likely offer a few learning opportunities, but never failures.

If you feel like you are failing, you aren't, you are learning. Take everything that doesn't go your way as an opportunity to do something different, or better! The restaurant business is intense and you need to be strong enough to be intense along with it.

Good luck, and keep at it!